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From: geda AT psjt DOT org (Stephan =?utf-8?Q?B=C3=B6ttcher?=)
To: "Marvin Dickens \(mpdickens\@gmail.com\) \[via geda-user\@delorie.com\]" <geda-user AT delorie DOT com>
Subject: Re: [geda-user] Stay or go?
References: <98D1C4E4-581D-4A03-94E4-E0330960EADF AT wellesley DOT edu>
	<CANEvwqhmUKnqX_kC7jgarumgXWzxygdRC=M=toBYMoJohXxdcg AT mail DOT gmail DOT com>
Date: Tue, 26 Jul 2016 11:05:10 +0200
In-Reply-To: <CANEvwqhmUKnqX_kC7jgarumgXWzxygdRC=M=toBYMoJohXxdcg@mail.gmail.com>
	(Marvin Dickens's message of "Mon, 25 Jul 2016 18:25:03 -0400")
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"Marvin Dickens (mpdickens AT gmail DOT com) [via geda-user AT delorie DOT com]"
<geda-user AT delorie DOT com> writes:

>                                       ... Free software is the future.
> OTOH, gEDA developers have to figure out how to move forward
> embrace current and future user needs (The usual stuff like: usability,
> modern work flow, modern gui and etc...) Candidly, at our organization,
> we do not see this happening. 

I my eyes, "modern gui and etc" was never the emphasis and strength of
gEDA.  I assumed that there are offerings, even free software, available
for those who put those aspects on the top of their priority list.

I experience "modern gui and etc" as requiring tons of desptopy
libraries, which may sooner or later lead to the requirement to install
systemd just to be able to run a cad application.

I am very happy that there is a lesstif GUI for PCB, so that I will be
able to run PCB after gtk is fully Gnomiefied.

> What we see are personality clashes between developers 


> and an unwillingness to embrace change, new technology or new
> paradigms in computer science of any type or kind - Even though in
> computer science and engineering change is a certainty.

or an unwillingness to embrace KISS, transparency, unix.

> OTOH, we have no room to complain because gEDA developers create code
> gratis 

I reject that argument.  A project/developer that get the code
distributed to users, via distributions or through separate channels,
with the resulting testing, community building and mindshare, needs to
accept some responsibility towards those users.

> and a reasonable argument can be made that if I or anyone else is
> unhappy with the state of things we can write the additions and/or
> changes ourselves.  

That is a major point of free software...

> This dynamic makes it impossible to include the tool set in our
> business plan - Its too risky.

-- 
Stephan